William m



l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VIIJLIAM M. STORM, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

FLEXIBLE HOSE OR FLOAT FOR SUPPORTING vEssELs.

Speoiticationforming part of Letters Patent No. 8,070, dated April 29, 1851.

To all whom it may con/cern: p

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. STORM, of New York, (at present residing at Troy, New York,) have invented a new and Improved Mode of Buoying and Propelling Vessels by means of what I term Air-Float Propellers; and I declare the following specification to embracea full and exact `description ot' the same. Y

The main feature of my invention consists in supporting and propelling a vessel upon an endless flexible buoy or hose air-float, so that little or no portion of the vessel proper need be immersed, but only or mainly depend for its buoyancy on the displacement effected by the air-lioat, which has a motion nearly or quite horizontal under and opposite to the vessel.

Some twenty years since, or more, a plan was originated of adding to .the still older and well-known device of an endless chain of paddles passing around drums at the forward and after part of a boat, hollowT metallic or other buoying vessels, the paddles being fixed to these, and these to the chain or connecting-band of the series. In this Inode the principle, although intrinsically good,

(for it appears to have been the germ of airfloats,) was so far counteracted by a con-V struction radically bad and entirely wanting in many indispensable conditions and provisions that the whole was rendered valueless and I believe never attempted in practice. Drums or cylinders in that case iutended to be used in any way cannot be immei-sed so as to give a continuous or evenlybuoying surface, and even with buoying vessels of a different form itwouldbe difficult to doso at all with the above plan, and as no provision appears to have been made to maintain them in a rigid horizontal plane while under the boat, they would be subject to great lateral vibration or strain sidewise, rise upward while passing from the forward to the after drum, endangering the breaking of the chain, increasing friction, losing buoyant force, and diminishing in various ways the intended eect. Y

My invention admits of being applied under various different forms, the principal and Inost important of which are represented at Figures l and 4 of the drawings annexed, those being the forms I design for practical appli- `and having a different form of' air-floats applied to her, such form being more applicable for sea use. which a vessel may in a measure overcome the friction of the water by transferring it to wheels by means of a buoyant and false bottom formed by a jointed frame-work or ribs covered with a flexible water-proof material. Fig. 8 shows a cross-section `of this `false V:buoyant bottom inverted and collapsed, also one of the ribs folded. This form, however, I consider of little, if any, practical value. Fig. 6 shows a form, dac., of air-tight boxes, of which a buoyant endless chain may be formed for buoying, and, if desired, propelling a vessel to which they'may be applied. This plan is similar in principle to that hereinbefore referred to, but different in other respects, their novelty and their advantage over the plan mentioned consisting in the following points: They are not attached to an `endless chain or band, but constitute the band themselves.V They are not intended to be totally immersed. (See sketch.) They are provided with wheels and axles that they may be confined to a rail or track, and thus be maintained in-an even plane and proper'position while passing under the boat. They are so formed as to have the whole area of their sides parallel and so nearly or quite in contact each with the other preceding or succeeding it while moving horizontally in the water, thus giving a comparatively even and (in eect) almost unbroken and equally buoying surface. They may be used with or without main driving-drums, doc. The fault of this plan also for practice is' that if constructed of metal they are too heavy; if of wood they are too liable to breakage. They are pervious to worms. The multiplicity of joints in either. case is attended with many f ,I l

Fig. l5 showsa mode by sel is also thereby avoided.

disadvantages, the., all of which are obviated by employing a proper flexible material in the construction of the buoys, which in addition insures the greatest practicable degree of lightness, cheapness of construction, ease of repair, Mprecision of action, the. Fig. 7 shows two kinds of semi-buoyant wheels suited for use with the air-floats. These wheels could also be made like those of land carriages, excepting an extra breadth of rim, and having spokes of wood or metallic piping, as I have recently seen them", and having a thin water-tight side casing, as those shown, they would be quite buoyant. Figs. 9 and 10 show broken segments of the trackboards hereinafter to be described.

A, Fig. l, is an endless hose, buoy, or float constructed of india-rubber, canvas, guttapereha, sole-leather, or other fit flexible inaterial, (shown in side View.) It would also be well in some cases for the material to be slightly elastic. Two of these floats are most advantageous in one vessel placed side by side or parallel and in the same planeybut separate. These hose or air-floats are made collapsible, so as to be less bulky when out of the water, and so not occupy great space in the vessel proper and whereit can be least afforded. They are by this means rendered less unwieldy, and top-heaviness of the ves- The floats are stretched over two driving drum-wheels B B at or near each end of the boat, and when in motion pass horizontally under the boat, which should be nearly or quite flat-bottomed, parallel to each other and to the line of her length, which, after traversing, they rise through throats or cases C over the drum or driving-wheels B and being collapsed, as shown in Fig. 1, while so rising, a portion of the air they contain passing out at valves fixed at two, three, or more places equidistant in the length of the float for that purpose. They pass back so collapsed between casings (which may be formed on the upper side by the hurricane-deck and below by the upper cabin ceiling, each adapted to the double purpose they would then fulfill) toward the bow, where the portion now collapsed in passing over the driving-wheels B and down into the water through throats C is reinfiated.

There are air-valves in the outer band of track-boards, which are held closed by the pressure of the water when immersed, and which are opened outward by the pressure of the air within the float when that isforced to make its exit by the float being pressed together or collapsed in passing over the drum or wheel B. There are also air-valves opening inward in the inner band of track-boards, which may be held closed by a spring and forced open by the pressure of the air -in its effort -to enter the float when this is expanded or inflated in passing over drum B. In lieu of any valvesin anypart of the float large open holesintheinnerband of track-boards maybe substituted, or valves held in position bya spring, yet capable of opening in either direction by pressure on either side. t will be observed that the floats, being confined at all times to the tracks and the peripheries of the drums,whichalternatelydivergeandconverge opposite the throats C and C', they (or portions of them) are constantly being successively inflated and collapsed per force. The course of the two fioats in passing back toward the bow may be seen at Fig. 2, where it is shown they do not move parallel, as beneath the boat, but gradually separate toward midship and again come to their original position at the throats C, thus leaving a space or opening D, approximating an ellipse, the object of this being to give place for sky-lights E and central stairways from below to the upper or hurricane-deck.

There is operating in conjunction with the air-floats an endless traveling band'of wheels F, Figs. 1 and 3. These extend on an endless Iixed track, a portion of which is indicated at G, Figs. l, 2, and 3. These bands yof wheels, of which there are four in all, two

to each float, (although one band might be made to answer between the floats, particularly if these move parallel during their entire revolution,) as the inflated float tends to rise by its buoyancy, receive the pressure, transferring it to the aforesaid endless track, which is xed above to the vessel inside of the casings, through which the floats move when out of the water, and below to the parallel reels H, Figs. l and 3, between which the floats move when or where immersed.

Each hose A has track boards or plank I, Figs. l, 2, and 3, of proper thickness, fastened to it outside (as also inside) of the endless band which it forms, with their edges a little separated and at right angles to the length of the float, thus forming, as it were, a species of flexible bellows. 'Iheir principal purpose is to thus render the float quite flexible in the line of its length perpendicularly, slightly so horizontally, and not at all in the line of the track-boardsorthelineofitswidth. Thetrackboards I are also sufficiently long to project beyond the' flexible side of the fioat, that thus on the ends so projecting may be fastened tracks J, which receive the peripheries of the wheels F, bearing the buoyant pressure, as before mentioned, ot' the float while under the boat, and also the gravitating pressure of the outerband of track-boards I and the upper portion of the hose A while passing back over or through the boat. The-'track J, taken as a whole, must of course be flexible, as is evident, and thus each segment of these` tracks can be little or no greater in length than the width of the track-board to which it is fastened. It is well, however, and almost necessary, to connect the ends of each segment by a joint to each other preceding and succeedingit, that will turn or act 'in .one direction only out of a horizontal plane common to all the segments. Various other and auxiliary means may be employed to the same end, which is the maintenanceof the moving trackboards and track While under the boat, dto., in a rigid horizontal plane as regards the traveling bands of bearing-wheels, which intermediately support the boat and over which in one sense she travels. The inner band K of track-boards (see Figs. l and 3) being stretched taut over the driving wheels or drums B B', the outer band of track-boards I should be stretched over the endless band of bearing-wheels F, and that this may be done, leaving the upper portion of the airfloat collapsed and the lower portion inliated, as shown in Figs. l and 3, the two bands of track-boards V being thus eccentric to each other, it is necessary that the floats be so constructed that'if the two bands of track- 4boards were drawn taut and at the saine time concentric the hose or flexible portion between said band should throughout its length be found partially collapsed, or the whole, as it were, like a tub bellows, half-closed. By observing this direction the iioat, when placed in its position, as represented in Fig;

l, will Work more smoothly an d not be liable to improper corrugation inthe line of its 3 and 9. A bottom view is also given at Fig.

10, these two last figures representing enlarged fractions. These ribs strengthen the trackboards, and their vertical flanges form also the paddle and propelling or, more properly, reacting surface of the vessel. The vessel might be ,propelledbya distinct apparatus, however, as the common paddle-wheel, for instance; but this would generally be less convenient.

In Fig. 3 the track-boards are shown divested of the ribs L.

The weight of `the inner band of trackboards K is supported while the tloatis passing collapsed over the Ways M on the stationary friction-wheels N. That portion of each track-board coming in contact with them may be faced with a metallicplate to prevent abrasion.

It were best that the metal employed in the construction of the wheels, tracks, joints, &c., of air-floats should not be seriously oxidable by alternate exposure to water and air. Galvanized iron, bronze, or brass would probably be best, although castiron would answer tolerably well, being less oxidable than the same metal wrought. It would also be well to cover such of the rubbing-surfaces as may be convenient with some substance that would diminish the noise, which might otherwise attend their motion in an inconvenient degree for passenger-boats. The casings through which the floats pass might also be constructed with a view to this. It would to' e The track-boards, to render them lessliable to warping, checking, &c., instead of being of simple plank, may be each constituted of wooden cross-bars dovetailed or mortised into each other and forming a grating, in which case the rib L, so necessary in the other case, might be omitted, the grate form of trackboards being sufficiently strong without itI and the sides of the transverse or longer bars of the grating forming suflicient propellingsurface.

The float being held from rising at tqe bottom by the wheels F, the pressure of the Water stilll coming on the flexible side O (see Fig. 3) has a tendency to thrust them in. This may be counteracted by allowing the ends of the inner band of track-boards to bear on a row of stationary friction-wheels, (see Fig. 3,) which may extend fore and aft far enough to receive them, while that part of the float opposite to which they are attached is in the water.

The track-boards I and K are connected at intervals by light toggle links or levers P, which relieve in part the strain on O, and the cross-chains connecting the middle joints of each. pair being of such a length as to prevent the toggle-links from becoming entirely distended or straightened out, and the side O being attached opposite and to the middle joint of the toggles when the floatis collapsed, they in doubling together draw in the sides of the iloat, causing it to fold smoothly and properly. Y

The inner and outer bands of track-boards may also be connected by light chains in the interior of the float, running diagonally in the line of its length, as indicated by the double dotted lines between Z and Z, Fig. 1.

These by their tension will support the strain that would otherwise come in an undue degree upon the flexible and slightly-elastic sides of the iloat in the conveyance of motion Y or force from the inner to the outer band of track-boards.` This Will be better understood by inspecting the drawings.

At intervals through and. across the interior of the floats may be flexible partitions R, (see Fig. 3,) each having holes, as S, through them, so located as to admit (if considered best) air to pass freely from one part of the float to another; but should the 'floats leak the water at every revolution of them would by means of partitions R, which bag in rising over drum B', be carried over the drum and emptied through water-valves (or holes, their substitutes) opening outward in some of the inner track-boards K out upon the water-tight ways M, Fig. 2, and run off and down through throats C, to whence it came,

'the ways M having a slight incline to 1Jfacili` tate this. Thus leakage, unless 'vfe'ry'.gre's't't, p

, `p'ropell'e'rs 'are obviated,as before shown, and

would be `of Yno material consequence.

The valves just mentioned may be rformed ny-simple holes with a disk of pliable or'elastic substance, 'as leather or 'indiarubbeig 4o't' A greater area tacked 'fastia't 'twoormo're points 'l and covering the holes.

Fig. 4 shows across-section of oa'sea-vessel y having Ia lpair of end-lessLhose 'ai-rioa`t's"co1- la'p'sible horizontally, running on bearingl Wheels To, attached to thecurv'ed and jointed braces U in ythe interior 'f the float, the `eX- tremitie's of 4'the braces being connected to the extrem esof lazy-'tong tframes V, which have f rictionlrolls W andconnectifgdinksfat their, outer knucklesfor j oint's-,'and'al'sb dross-chains X, connecting their middle joints to preventv lthe fram'e beingsp'read ltoo far laterally, and-j'` the fra-ine itself being to prevent the iioa't; fromybeinlg 'col-lapsed vertically by the 'press-.j 'fre A'ot 4the lWater. These 'floats pass between?. `paral`lel 'reels Y, (Which'rniglrtbe 'metallica'nd `act 1vas ubaliast 'and being 4ropera-ted l'in fm'ost'gl respects sl'ibstantiall'yfas those 'previously' d-escribed, 'with the 'ex"ceptio'n that ythey heed? not, bei-ng applied I'to "a sailing-Vessel, lue-exe;` vtended over driving-wheels, they 'may 'frise out of the Water and, collapsing1hri2n-tally,j :pass through app'ropriatejopenings V'or -'(za'sesf 'as'Z-,foiimed in thels'ideso'f the vessel, ytow'faid 1 thofioow for 'reimmorsioa 'The'froaiooiojeot and grond advent-ingoio; Athe application iof Athe leX-ble endless-hose' a'rloat's Ais the giving a infin, lequal,"con'ftinf iis,andgextended'surface of 'support tofa'v'essetas before sotfofthaffithouttho amooosioo M"oo, (as is 'the hun of a vo-ssen) that would necessarily be vforced Ethrough the :Water '1in her progress, (air-floats acting, as Will `beobyserved, as'abodyf'separate and distinct from y cal impediments hereinbefore remarked to the practicability of the principieof buoyant many important contingencies 'heretofore 'undiscovered for unnoticed as necessarily/connected With `that principle are hereby easily and' perfectly provided for, as ihas been .fully set forth.

Theoretically, atleast, 'the advantages .possessed byga vessel Vfitted With these 'aifrd'oats for 'reaching a high Jspeed, particular/lyon rivers-and othercomparativelysmoothWaters, are ev'e'n greater 'than -possessed by-'a locomotive on afrai'lvv'ay, 'as the track, so to "speak, is innere .generally level and unconined., 'ther'su'ppo-rting-s'l'lrface more 'unbroken and'even-,both vdrivin-'g'and bearing Wheels Aarejlarger, 'and the latter 'receive 'their load `on 'their peripheries. Th'us there is no such vibration lof 'The'whole @is 'comparatively light and Ccom- Ypae't, fthe loat therefore vquite Wi'eld'y, l"and a 'riverboat tvvo orfthreei'hiundredfeet Llong-'and of broad beam, with au engine fof a fraction 7of t'the poyver'us'ually Vemiploy'ed fin l'such Eboats, 'might attain a `Speed `of l"fortyo'r ift'y in'iles per hour. Y

These :air-(floats are 'applicable to v sailing- 'vessels, vessels 'p'rop'elled by 'artificial lpo'wer, Tow-boats, Iche.' v lQI-Iayin'g thus Ifully Ldescribed my invention,

that 'which I claim, fand desire to secure by Letters Patent of ythe Uni-ted States, 'is as foll''vvs:

1. rrEhe plan of supportinga'vesselin YWhole "or part upo'no'r bymeans 'of a gtl'exli'bl'e rv'movable endless h'os'e o'r air-float, or on -a'n endless 'movable L'chai'nj'o'f -'flexible buoyant Icompartments, y'for the purposes #set ff'orth.

2. 'lvlaking'saidfflezble hose, ai"r-oat,'o'rits equivalent collapsible forthe purposes hereinbefore mentioned.

Not limiting j=n1yself `in or by these claims to any particular forms or arrangement lof lia'r yfeatures of my"i'nventiomas :described fandf'claiin'ed, are substantially lfulfilled. Y

I WM. M. STORM Witnesses:

1P. MoMANUs, CoRA MT. STORM. 

